This invention relates generally to acupuncture devices, and more particularly, is directed to a hand-held, self-operable acupuncture device.
The art of acupuncture has been used by the Chinese for nearly 4,500 years to treat and alleviate physical and mental pain. Chinese acupuncture has been based on the principle that complementary forces of Yin and Yang control Qi, the essential energy running through the human body. Specifically, it was believed that there are twelve meridians or channels connected under the skin to all of the basic organs of the body. When pain or bad health occur, it was believed that Qi was out of balance. Acupuncture was designed to restore the balance so that flow through the twelve meridians is established with the proper balance. There are approximately 2,000 points along the meridians at which the acupuncturist can insert needles to redirect the flow to achieve proper balance.
Accordingly, needles were inserted into the desired acupuncture points to achieve balance, the needles being twirled or oscillated about their axes to enhance the effect of the acupuncture. Because the twirling of the needles requires great skill, and because such twirling becomes extremely tiresome after a short period of time, it has been suggested that the manual twirling be replaced by the application of an alternating current to the needles to achieve the same effect. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,908,669 to Man et al and U.S. Pat. No. 3,897,789 to Blanchard.
Modern medicine indicates that acupuncture may have some benefit, but that acupuncture has nothing to do with vital energy running through the body. Instead, it is argued that acupuncture is merely a good way to stimulate peripheral nerves so that the body's own mechanism for overriding pain is stimulated. Thus, some research has shown that acupuncture releases various neurotransmitters and activates three areas of the nervous system. Specifically, acupuncture stimulates nerves to send mild pain messages to the spinal cord, which in turn releases pain-blocking chemicals. The spinal cord sends impulses to the midbrain which sends other pain-blocking neurotransmitters to the spinal cord. Finally, the spinal cord may stimulate the pituitary gland to release pain blockers and anti-inflammatory agents into the blood stream and brain.
Further, research has now shown that the manner in which acupuncture is applied can vary the effectiveness thereof. Thus, the specific frequency of the AC signal supplied to the needles has proven effective for different pain relief.
As a further development, it has been found that a similar effect can be achieved merely by the application of an AC signal to the skin surface at the desired acupuncture points. In such case, a probe contacts the skin of the user to apply such AC signal. An example of such a system is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,763,657 to Chen et al, which describes a hand-held, self-operable acupuncture device of this type. See also U.S. Pat. No. 4,556,064 to Pomeranz et al.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,180,079 to Wing also discloses a hand-held, self-operable acupuncture device which applies an electrical pulse to selected portions of the skin. A probe terminating in a wad of cotton is the active electrode and the instrument case is the other electrode, whereby current flows from the probe and in a return path through the body and the hand that is holding the instrument, to the instrument case, so as to complete the circuit. However, the entire case is electrically conductive which is not desirable.
However, none of the above-described devices disclose any manner of locating the acupuncture points. This is accomplished generally by charts that are studied by the acupuncturist.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,900,020 to Lock, there is disclosed an electronic acupuncture device which can be used with either needles or probes, and which includes a separate probe for locating the desired acupuncture points on the patient's body. The probe is passed over the patient's body, and an acupuncture point is located by noting sharp movements in the readings of the meters on the control panel. There is also a discussion of converting increases in current through the point finder probe into an audio signal. The probe is in two parts, a first part held by the physician and passed over the patient's body, and a second probe held by the patient. It is apparent, however, that such a system could not be used as a hand-held, self-operable acupuncture device by the patient. Further, there are separate probes and probe sockets in the control panel for supplying the therapeutic acupuncture current, in addition to different circuitry, thereby increasing the cost and complexity of the device.